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mikolee's review against another edition
4.0
This has become my new favorite book. The only reason why I'm not giving exceptional rating is because I listened to the audio book which only had two readers. I think I would have LOVED this if the original authors read their respective letters instead. Still a much needed salve in a time of distress. So so so many quotable sections. I now want to go out and get this as gifts for so many distraught and tired friends. Radical Hope is a book for the time of now. A book to engage in and receive nourishment. Some of my favorite authors and thinkers write letters of hope following the election of the corrupt 45. Wonderful.
reader_fictions's review against another edition
3.0
I’ve been trying to diversify some of my reading, so I’ve been listening to a fair amount of nonfiction audiobooks lately. With a good narrator, it can make nonfic a lot more enjoyable for me than it can be in print. Radical Hope proved much more broad of scope than I anticipated in a really good way.
Going into this, I was worried that the message and commentary would be repetitive, since obviously this collection was set up to react to the presidential election. Actually, though, the authors come at the topic from a whole lot of different angles, and there’s a fair amount of international focus. It’s not just about the US or just about Trump, so there was a surprising amount of variety.
I especially loved the letter concept. I hadn’t been sold on it initially, but that really does help the authors come at the basic prompt from a number of different lenses and in varying ways, because they’re talking to such disparate audiences. In many cases, this also makes the letters much more heartfelt, personal, and impactful. Ojo and Griffith are both great narrators, but I would have preferred if the authors had been able to narrate their own letters. Two voices for so many isn’t quite as effective, no matter how talented those voices.
The stories are often hard to take, obviously, and it’s not something that I can say I necessarily enjoyed reading even though it was all very well done. It’s a solid and important collection, but in no way a fun read, because it’s not meant to be.
Going into this, I was worried that the message and commentary would be repetitive, since obviously this collection was set up to react to the presidential election. Actually, though, the authors come at the topic from a whole lot of different angles, and there’s a fair amount of international focus. It’s not just about the US or just about Trump, so there was a surprising amount of variety.
I especially loved the letter concept. I hadn’t been sold on it initially, but that really does help the authors come at the basic prompt from a number of different lenses and in varying ways, because they’re talking to such disparate audiences. In many cases, this also makes the letters much more heartfelt, personal, and impactful. Ojo and Griffith are both great narrators, but I would have preferred if the authors had been able to narrate their own letters. Two voices for so many isn’t quite as effective, no matter how talented those voices.
The stories are often hard to take, obviously, and it’s not something that I can say I necessarily enjoyed reading even though it was all very well done. It’s a solid and important collection, but in no way a fun read, because it’s not meant to be.
cherreadssharereads's review against another edition
5.0
Truly thankful for the amazing compilation of letters from progressive authors of our time. Definitely timely and perfect for giving us a much-needed dose of hope. My favorites include: "America" by Parnaz Foroutan, "Human Rights is the Handhold, Pass it On" by Mkhja Kahf, "A Time to Demand the Impossible" by Viet Thanh Nguyen, "The Fear and The Resistance" by Jedf Chang, Claire Messud’s letter to her daughter, “The Most Important Act of Resistance” by Meredith Russo, and Celeste Ng’s “Stay Open.”
“Every moment our fears and anxieties hold dominion over us is a moment that those who hate have stolen from us, and we must give them nothing.” -M. Russo
“Every moment our fears and anxieties hold dominion over us is a moment that those who hate have stolen from us, and we must give them nothing.” -M. Russo
jambery's review against another edition
3.0
Four essays I read twice:
What I Mean: Kate Schatz
"Nothing changes if we just feel shitty about being white. And nothing changes if we refuse to talk about it. The opposite of white pride does not have to be white shame. We can't push it away and pretend it's not us. We are not color blind, we are not post-race, we do not get to reject our whiteness because it makes us feel bad."
(Note to self, look up the Grimke sisters, Lucretia Mott, Julia Ward Howe, Emma Goldman, Jane Addams, Viola Liuzzo, Jessie Daniel Ames, Adrienne Rich, Minnie Bruce Pratt, and Polly Spiegel Cowan.)
To the Woman Standing in Line at the Store: Elmaz Abinader
"Many of us have not learned how to lose something."
Dear Millennials: Aya de Leon
"In order to win, we need to be willing to risk, envision, and create, try, fail, and try again. We need to develop a space for leadership development that balances forgiveness with accountability. Only then can we move from being people who criticize power to those who are prepared to wield it to create the just and caring world we envision."
Stay Open: Celeste Ng
"Because being curious is admitting that you don't know, but also that you want to know. That what you don't know is worth knowing. That people you don't know are worth knowing, that they have something to teach you. That learning about them--that encountering new ideas--doesn't threaten you, it enriches you. That what you haven't experienced is worth experiencing. That you approach the world as a trove of things to take in, rather than things you frantically, fearfully wall out. Be kind, be curious, be helpful: what that really means is, stay open."
What I Mean: Kate Schatz
"Nothing changes if we just feel shitty about being white. And nothing changes if we refuse to talk about it. The opposite of white pride does not have to be white shame. We can't push it away and pretend it's not us. We are not color blind, we are not post-race, we do not get to reject our whiteness because it makes us feel bad."
(Note to self, look up the Grimke sisters, Lucretia Mott, Julia Ward Howe, Emma Goldman, Jane Addams, Viola Liuzzo, Jessie Daniel Ames, Adrienne Rich, Minnie Bruce Pratt, and Polly Spiegel Cowan.)
To the Woman Standing in Line at the Store: Elmaz Abinader
"Many of us have not learned how to lose something."
Dear Millennials: Aya de Leon
"In order to win, we need to be willing to risk, envision, and create, try, fail, and try again. We need to develop a space for leadership development that balances forgiveness with accountability. Only then can we move from being people who criticize power to those who are prepared to wield it to create the just and caring world we envision."
Stay Open: Celeste Ng
"Because being curious is admitting that you don't know, but also that you want to know. That what you don't know is worth knowing. That people you don't know are worth knowing, that they have something to teach you. That learning about them--that encountering new ideas--doesn't threaten you, it enriches you. That what you haven't experienced is worth experiencing. That you approach the world as a trove of things to take in, rather than things you frantically, fearfully wall out. Be kind, be curious, be helpful: what that really means is, stay open."
samanthaella's review against another edition
5.0
"Our first person is always plural."--Jeff Chang
Of the many inspiring and thought-provoking lines in this collection, Chang's words best describe the vision of hope that grounds this text. The writers represented in this short anthology of letters speak passionately of their fears and hopes. In some cases I found my own beliefs echoed and articulated; in others I found powerful witnesses to worlds I do not know. A moving and important book. I feel better--I'll do better--for having read it.
Of the many inspiring and thought-provoking lines in this collection, Chang's words best describe the vision of hope that grounds this text. The writers represented in this short anthology of letters speak passionately of their fears and hopes. In some cases I found my own beliefs echoed and articulated; in others I found powerful witnesses to worlds I do not know. A moving and important book. I feel better--I'll do better--for having read it.
babewithabookandabeer's review against another edition
5.0
100 yes's over and over!!!!!! This book was amazing with quite a collection of powerhouse writers. Great stories of feminism, immigration, being a minority, and learning how to live in the Trump era.
A few of the essays knocked me out - they were so good. Read for motivation to #RESIST.
A few of the essays knocked me out - they were so good. Read for motivation to #RESIST.
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